Smiling At Hills

Saturday, March 28, 2015

The mud was thick, slippery and clay orange in color. Much
of the 8.9 mile course loop was covered with it, especially the last 4 miles.
There was no traction to be found. On the down hills, the best you could hope
for was to slide without falling.

Wet 5am start, in the dark and rain

Jim and I ran along, trying to keep pace. During 5 loops, we
were very consistent, about 2 hrs per loop, just as planned. Go out slow and
hold steady. Early on we developed a flow, one would lead, we’d hike the hills,
run the descents and flats. Starting the sixth loop, it was doubtful I would be
able to keep with him. My quads had really been complaining after 10 hrs of running, and a brain cloud was squelching my focus.

Jim during loop 2

Loop 2, in the drizzle

The course, at first view, seemed tame. Single track that
wondered through the woods around a lake, with about of 1K ft of gain/loss per
loop. Reality was quite different. There was a constant variation of climbs,
descents, turns and switchbacks while running over roots and rocks. It was
difficult to establish any rhythm. The course relentlessly ground you down. The
rain added a layer of complexity to running, Wet from the start, the trail was
a bit sloshy. As the loops clicked off, conditions deteriorated as the skies opened up during the forth and fifth loops. The mud
worked hard to claim your shoes and put you on your butt. The down hills
became a free fall, balancing test, trying to hold on to some momentum into a
turn or up a rise.

Some technical parts, look tame when dry

Lots of rocks on the climbs (during training run)

Add rain and 1000 foot prints, you get mud sludge

Race director, the legendary ultra-runner, AndyJones-Wilkins (AJW) worked hard to give this race an old school feel with a
friendly vibe. Starting with the pre-race dinner and meeting held at Tandem
Friends School, (where AJW is Head Master) runners were treated to wonderful food
and felt as if we were members of a casual, local running club. A loop course (well
marked) was selected for ease of logistics and crewing, giving an old style bent
of “let’s run in the woods with some friends”. Little things like hand written loop times on a big
board, lent a real low tech, fun feel. There was almost no cell
coverage on the course, so someone had to drive several miles to get a signal to
upload loop times. Adding personal touches, AJW was at the loop finish, announcing each runner’s name,
as if we were elite. There was plenty of covered space and small tents at
the start, offering easy access to stowed gear.

RD & MC AJW, greetings at every loop

Two aid stations, one at start/finish and one just before
half way, were staffed with amazing volunteers who were focused on service;
filling bottles, handing out food, massaging cramped muscles, triaging blisters
and trail wounds. Laurie and Craig Thornley (RD for Western States 100 mile Endurance
Run) were part of the volunteers who worked tirelessly all day. The aid station
food selection was outstanding, the best ultra-feast I have experienced, mostly
home cooked by the volunteers. Along with the staples of potatoes, PBJs, flat
coke, etc, there was an amazing selection of dishes. There was even huge slices
of bacon! (Oh did that taste good.) I discovered a new favorite trail food,
sweet potato - almond butter burritos (thanks Helen M). Jim and I had one on at
least 4 loops.

AS feast. Sweet Potato-Almond Butter Burritos!

Happy volunteers handed out food, massage and triage

Unexpectedly, I found a second wind on loop 6. Perhaps it
was the stick massage Angela, my crew member, did on my quads. Jim and I were
still keeping a good pace, and started to enjoy the mud. Another deception of
the course was that from the far side of the lake, you could see the finish
area. You got to see it 4 times before finally turning towards it. Each time
you came to the water’s edge, thinking the end of loop was near, back into the
woods you would be sent. This messed with your mind, so by loop 6, we started
cursing the sight of the lake, then tried to ignore it.

Across the lake, loop 7, as sun diminishes

I had fallen during each of the first 3 loops. The first was
only a mile into the race. In the dark, I stumbled and tried to recover by
taking several step and quickening my cadence. This only accelerated my fall,
with my head leading the way. Just before hitting the ground, Jim caught me by the
chin and righted me up. (A big thanks Jim! Nice catch!) The other two times I went down
hard, causing some lingering mechanical issues that had to be worked
off.

Some Ultra-Smiles early in the race

During the 7th and final loop, both Jim and I
started to slow a bit, and were trading places being dragged along by the
other. Using the TJ100K as a training run,
fitness-check race, I had a set of workable goals: 1) finish 2) finish in less
than 15 hrs 3) if all goes great, around 14 hrs. The sun started to set during
the 7th loop. We pushed on, hoping to beat the darkness. As the mud
did its best to suck us down, we slogged on. Such a great feeling came over me
during the last mile, knowing we would finish much better than hoped, and with the last remnants of
daylight.

Jim and I crossed the finish line together, in 14 hrs, 19
min, an amazing time for both our first 100K attempts. Running the entire race
together, it was only fitting we finish that way. AJW was there to provide our
race awards, new $2 bills (with portrait of Thomas Jefferson).

Expectations Exceeded! Jim and I at finish

With AJW and our race prizes

The Thomas Jefferson 100K was a very enjoyable race;
relentless, surprisingly tough, with a big dose of old-school fun. Definitely a
race that will challenge you, with a course you need to respect. As the word
gets out about this race, it will likely grow in the coming years, becoming an
east coast favorite. I know I’ll be back!

A big THANK YOU to Andy Jones-Wilkens and his team of
volunteers for hosting an outstanding ultra event. The course, the organization,
the food, the warmth and service were exceptional. Each runner was made to feel
special and part of a family.

Thank you Jim Freiss for pacing with me the entire race. Also much appreciation and thanks to Angela for providing amazing
crew support.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

After being sidelined for 10 wks with a shin splint turning stress fracture, I was a bit anxious to get back to trail running. Having to DNS the Laurel Highlands 70 miler in June, my Western States 100 lottery chances were slipping away. To accelerate my comeback, and try (beyond reason) to get a 100 mile qualifier in this year, I figured I needed a 50K to test where I was and force me back.

The NJ Trail Series Wildcat Ridge Romp 50K seemed to fit the req. Having run several NJTS trail races, I knew the course would be rocky and quite technical. Good! It will whip my legs into shape. Checking out the course profile, I liked that it was a 10.3 mi loop, not too heavy on the elevation gain/loss. I figured if things start to go bad, I could drop at 10 or 20 miles. RDs Rick and Jennifer McNulty do a great job of mapping out their courses to include lots of challenging sections and always throw in a few surprises.
There were also 100K, 50M and 10M races being held, with separate starting times.

Loitering around before the start, I bumped into Sky, a running buddy from NJRRC,who had been bitten a few years ago by the trail running bug. It was great to see a familiar face.

Saying Hi to Sky

Asking some runners about the course, I was a bit concerned when one said it is more technical that the NJTS Mountain Madness 50K. I had DNF'd the MM50K at 24 mi two yrs ago, after my tripping on rocks started to increase rapidly. Yikes!

RDs Jennifer and Rick(courtesy of Trail WhippAss)

Rick started to give some description of the course. Follow the pink ribbons on blazed and unblazed sections. (That meant we would be going off trail occasionally.) He cautioned about dogs and bears, couldn't hear which ones may have electric fence preventing them from attacking.
Soon we were off running from the school parking lot, right turn into the woods.

We're off running

The first 3 miles include lots of uphills and descents, all on rocky tread, as we reached the highest point in the race. I went out slow, trying to acclimate to the technical running. Lots of fast hiking instead of running. No matter how much I tell myself I'm running well on rock, my body never seems to cooperate.

Sky uses a time warp to cover early miles

A small bit of grass between the rocks

At mile 3 we were treated to a pleasant surprise, an overlook that offered a view for miles to the south east. Took a few seconds to take in the view.

Morning light on a beautiful site

Quickly back to working the hills and practicing my rock running. Most of the first loop I was running near Jim from Long Island who was there with Dan & Yvonne, all members of an running club. It was good to talk to them about the LI running scene. Jim would be running the Leigh Valley Marathon in a month, trying for a BQ. I ran that last yr (LVM review) and told him its good place for clicking off the miles to a qual time.

Jim working the one hill without rocks

Give me a Slow Downhill, on the Rocks

Miles 4 thru 8 brought on some of the NJTS surprises I knew there would be.

Boulder hoping to cross a stream

Over or through, pick your way

Mile 7 had brought us to a picturesque waterfall. Then we realized it was the result of an aqueduct from a reservoir. We had to scale the aqueduct and hike up to the top.

Up n Over the acqueduct . . .

. . . and a bunch more of up . . .

. . . the view was worth the climb

Things became a bit more runable after that. (About 25% of the 10 mi loop was unrunable or barely runable.
Hitting some gravel roads, it was good to open up the stride and try to cruise. The gravel quickly changed to rocks, which took concentration on your foot placement to avoid catching a toe.

Something runable!

No rest from the rocks

The gravel/rock road emptied onto a neighborhood street for a half mile before ducking back into the trails to finish the loop and back to the start & check-in.

I ran with Jim for most of the 2nd loop. About mi 13 my right quad started to hurt. I guess I was favoring my left leg, where the shin splint was. I took it slow. Today was about coming back, testing out my running vest and working on nutrition. Shortly after finishing 20 miles, I was pondering to stop or go for the next loop. The 50K winner William Adams finished the race (4:28:28) while I was deciding. I couldn't get him interested in pacing me for my last 10 miles.

50K winner William Adams with early lead(courtesy of Trail WhippAss)

50K womans winner Heather Simon 6:45:21(courtesy of Traill WhippAss)

The third loop became quite difficult, with both my legs going on strike. I walked about 6 mi in this loop.
This walking did allow me to meet some wildlife and learn of a recent bear siting.

Seeing Blacky on the trail will slow you down

Towards the end I was only able to run 50 - 100 yards before needing to stop, even on the easy sections. I did finish in 7:08 and was happy to have completed the full 50K.

Me in pain at mile 28(courtesy of Trail WhippAss)

Sky still smiling at mi 28(courtesy of Trail WhippAss)

Thanks and Big Kudos to Rick and Jennifer McNulty for providing a course that did not disappoint. I successfully beat the stuffing out of me and made some new friends along the way. What more can you ask for in a trail race.

Also a thanks to Trail WhippAss and Dylan Armajani for providing a photographer at the mi 8 aid station. They posted their pics on this Flickr link.

Dylan scales trail obstacles on way to his 3rd place finish(courtesy of Trail WhippAss)

About Me

A 50 something runner who recently discovered the wonders of trail running. I always enjoyed running hills and now have started to take on some mountain trails. Treat hills like old friends. Give them a big smile and say "its good to see you".